Evander Kane’s situation eventually was going to come to a head — we just didn’t know it would be a shower head.

The defiant 23-year-old Winnipeg Jets winger was scratched from Tuesday night’s game in his hometown of Vancouver, and coach Paul Maurice termed it a “coach’s decision.”

But Kane had gone AWOL after a morning run-in with teammates, according to SportsNet, and when he finally answered his phone an hour before puck-drop, informed the team he would not be playing that night. He wasn’t seen again until the team charter departed after the game.

The dispute reportedly stemmed over a track suit Kane wore to the morning meeting — a violation of team policy. Dustin Byfuglien threw those clothes into the shower, according to SportsNet’s sources, to send a message to Kane about his insouciance.

Dustin Byfuglien reportedly tossed Kane’s tracksuit in the shower.AP

“There’s a standard that everyone needs to live up to,” teammate Blake Wheeler said Thursday. “We’re professionals, we make a lot of money. And we’re expected to uphold a certain standard. That’s the code we live by. That’s just the way it is. If you don’t like it then there’s other places to go. This is the way we do things.”

Byfuglien, while not directly addressing his wardrobe-soaking maneuver, said: “We’re just a tight group. It is what it is. That’s just among us. Things we’ve just got to handle ourselves.”

On Friday, in a mysterious move considering there was little to no previous warning, the Jets placed Kane on injured reserve, saying he needs shoulder surgery and faced a 4-to-6-month recovery timetable.

Though the injury complicates matters, it seems like a trade is inevitable — his time with the Jets is likely done.

The question with Kane has never been his ability — he is an extremely talented forward, with great hands, good speed, and a knack for scoring goals. The question comes with his attitude. Kane is 23 years old, carrying a $5.25 million cap hit through 2018. Toss a couple picks and a prospect up to Winnipeg, and any team could have themselves a top-line guy. Just don’t ask him to be a leader.